The Colossus of New Bordeaux is a statue of Eleanor the First that sits in the middle of the harbour of New Bordeaux.
The Colossus of New Bordeaux stands as one of the most iconic monuments in the Empire of Australia, rivaling the grandeur of ancient wonders like the Colossus of Rhodes. Commissioned in 1651 by Eleanor XXI to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Empire’s founding, the massive bronze statue stands 115 meters tall from its base to the top of its crown.
The statue depicts Eleanor I in a pose that combines regal authority with maritime adventure. She wears a combination of 12th-century royal dress and early Empire sailing attire, symbolizing her dual role as both monarch and explorer.
The base of the statue contains reliefs depicting key scenes from Eleanor I’s journey and the founding of the Empire, including her departure from the Crusades, her first meeting with Erik the Black, and her landing at Pito-One beach. The crown of the statue serves as a lighthouse, with a powerful beacon that guides ships into New Bordeaux’s busy harbor.
The statue was designed by renowned Imperial architect Jean-Pierre Delacroix and took 15 years to complete, using bronze sourced from Imperial mines in Madagascar. The engineering feat required to construct it involved innovative techniques that would later influence other large-scale construction projects throughout the Empire.
Local tradition holds that ships entering the harbor must sound their horns in salute to the Colossus, a practice that began spontaneously during construction and was later formalized in Décret 2857 under Eleanor XXVIII. The statue has survived several major earthquakes and storms, though it required significant restoration work after the Great Earthquake of 1888.
Today, the Colossus serves not only as a symbol of Imperial power but also as a reminder of the Empire’s maritime heritage and the bold vision of its founder. It appears on Imperial currency and is frequently used in official state imagery, while miniature replicas are popular souvenirs among visitors to New Bordeaux.